Panthers vs. Falcons Prediction, Odds, Spread, Injuries, Trends for NFL Week 2

The Panthers are 1.5-point favorites against the Falcons in Week 2. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

All four NFC South teams lost in the opening week of the season, proving that they're the worst division in football.

The good news is that at least one team will be 1-1 after Week 2, as the Carolina Panthers will face the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday.

The Panthers scored 37 points but allowed 59 to lose in the opening week against the Bears. The Falcons had the opposite result, allowing just 20 points but scoring only 13 in a loss to the Steelers.

Let's dive into the odds and my best bet for this Week 2 divisional matchup.

Panthers vs. Falcons Odds, Spread, and Total

Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook

Spread

• Panthers -1.5 (-108)
• Falcons +1.5 (-112)

Moneyline

• Panthers -122
• Falcons +104

Total

• OVER 44.5 (-105)
• UNDER 44.5 (-115)

Panthers vs. Falcons How to Watch

• Date: Sunday, September 20
• Time: 1:00 PM ET
• Venue: Mercedes-Benz Stadium
• How to Watch (TV): FOX
• Panthers record: 0-1
• Falcons record: 0-1

Panthers vs. Falcons Betting Trends

• The Panthers are 6-4 against the spread in its last 10 games vs. the Falcons
• The UNDER is 6-4 in the Panthers' last 10 games
• The OVER is 6-4 in the Falcons' last 10 games

Panthers vs. Falcons Key Player to Watch

• Bryce Young, QB - Carolina Panthers

There were a lot of question marks surrounding Bryce Young heading into this season, and whether or not he can truly be the Panthers' franchise quarterback. He was impressive in Week 1, and the loss didn't fall on his shoulders. He completed 23-of-37 passes for 361 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception. He also ran twice for 10 yards and a score. If he can put up similar numbers for the next 17 weeks, I think we have our answer about whether or not he's a franchise quarterback.

Panthers vs. Falcons Prediction and Best Bet

As of writing this article on Monday, we don't know who's going to be starting at quarterback for the Falcons. Given the fact that Atlanta is a 1.5-point underdog, I can say confidently that the betting market is expecting Michael Penix Jr. to Tua Tagovailoa to return to action. Cooper Rush had an adjusted EPA per play in Week 1 of -0.493, by far the worst amongst all starting quarterbacks. If it's announced that he will start again in Week 2, I expect the odds to shift rapidly towards the Panthers.

That's why I'm going to bet on the Panthers at this point in the week. That way, if Penix or Tua does start, we'll likely have a bet at something close to the closing number. If Rush is announced as the starter, we'll get some fantastic closing line value as the spread moves towards the Panthers.

Carolina's defense looked horrific in Week 1, but let's consider the offense they had to face. When it comes to facing the Falcons, if they can contain Bijan Robinson, they can run away with a win.

I'll back the Panthers get their first win of the season.

Pick: Panthers -1.5 (-108) via FanDuel

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